1/26/2008

Workspace and Environment: Tobias Freund

If anyone has any tips on EVP recording, please send them to the e-mail the right. I'm going to a questionable place tomorrow evening and would like some insight if anyone has some. I'll be back in Chicago on wednesday. Sacrificing hoodie weather for a place where your snot freezes inside your nose isn't something I'm looking forward to. To the poor saps up there, don't get used to me cause I'm going to Orlando for a few weeks. As for Tobias, normally I ask the artists to send me as many pictures as they wish and I reduce them to 3 with some exceptions. This is one of them.

Tobias Freund

BackgroundI was born close to frankfurt, and lived in frankfurt till 2003. i moved to berlin 5 years ago. I felt like changing things. I have several projects: „Sieg ueber die sonne“ together with Dandy Jack (Martin Schopf), „Atom™ & Pink Elln“ works of improvised live performances with Atom Heart (Ewe Schmidt), „Nsi. non standard institute“ with max loderbauer, former part of „Sun Electric“ and my solo project „Pink Elln, the electronic dream plant“. „Tobias.“ is my latest solo work focusing on dance music.

How long have you been involved with sound?I bought my first synthesizer ( Korg MS-20 ) in August 1980. Since then, I am doing recordings and experiments. In 1983 I bought the Roland TR-808 rhythm machine. several effect units, sequencers and other little drum machines came along. All mixed together in an 8 channel mixer from Boss. Over the years the setup changed.

What is your current favorite piece of hardware?My favorite machine is still the Roland TR-808, but actually it is the combination with my analog effect rack, my Akai S 3200 sampler and the Pearl syncussions. This combination is full of surprises.

What is your current favorite software or plugin? I avoid to use plugins. The only virtual instruments I sometimes use is the ES-1 in Logic and Battery. In my setup Logic 6 is more or less an extended “tapemachine”.

Workspace and EnvironmentIt is very important for me to have a “good looking” studio, I need windows to be connected with the outside. It has to be kind of ergonomic.

Are you involved in any music/sound work outside of your own projects? The only project of this sort T was involved in was a cooperation with the Berliner Staatsballett. My nsi. Partner Max and I were involved in a project called ‘shut up and dacne’ where techno or house producers would create or compose music for ballet. The whole thing was performed by the Berliner Staatsballett at the Berghain, a night club in Berlin. More information: www.ostgut.de/ton/

What is on your current 'wish list'?I am looking for some old analog effect units, on my wish list is the AMS Harmonizer and the AMS Reverb.

Do you have a mobile studio setup? No I don’t, but i was thinking about purchasing a digital mobile recorder with a sensible stereo microphone.

Do you have a setup for live performances? I use a Mac book with Ableton, an Akai MPD 16 pad controller and a Yamaha DX 200 for my live shows. Sometimes I take my TR-808 with me, but only for special occasions because it is too sensitive for club use.

How many physical locations have you had your studio setup?I had a lot of different locations for my studio. Basically the setup didn’t change too much, except the change from an analog mixer ( Tascam M 3500 ) to a digital one ( Roland V 7200 ).